I will
by Morbubble
Summary: Sequel to I shouldn't. Rating has been increased :O Zero and Kaname are settling into their runaway life, but Yuki still waits for Kaname and Zero is finding being in a relationship tricky. Will he ever be able to love Kaname? DISCONTINUED :/
1. Silent Challenge

**A/N; Well I decided to write a sequel, yay! In a different style this time. I couldn't just leave or boys the way I did, the poor dears. And er…I might write a lemon later on but…yeah I dunno. Bit scared about that to be honest xD Anyway, here goes.**

**IMPORTANT. If anyone read 'I shouldn't' but didn't read the edit of the final chapter, you might wanna have a look at it cos it changes things a bit for this story. Just to warn ya =]**

**Disclaimer; Vampire Knight isn't mine. If it was then it would have gone a lot differently :]**

Zero Kiryu sighed slightly in irritation as the gentle sunlight woke him up. Streaming in the window it lightly pulled him into consciousness beside the still sleeping pureblood vampire, Kaname Kuran. He was the first thing that Zero saw as he sleepily opened his lilac eyes, and that sight filled him with happiness and adoration…but a generous heaping of guilt too. The small smile that had begun to form on his lips slipped off and was replaced by a scowl the moment he thought about the guilt. He couldn't escape it. Sighing again he sat up and swung his legs round, sitting on the edge of the bed. It was starting to eat him from the inside out, and it was putting strain on their relationship. Zero snorted. If it could even be _called _that.

He ran a hand over his tired eyes. He couldn't even tell Kaname what he needed and wanted to hear so much. Kaname could say it without a second thought and told him every day; the moment he woke up, the moment he went to bed and a ridiculous amount of times in between. He even said it in his _sleep_. And Zero just couldn't say it back. He couldn't just get those three little words out of his mouth.

_I love you._

Why was it so hard for him? He glared at the wardrobe across from him. Why couldn't he say it? Every time Kaname said it Zero could feel a tiny expectant pause, just there, waiting to be filled with his reply. And yet…he never could say it. He felt so annoyed at himself. Kaname was so willing to give him everything; he already had. He'd shunned his powerful pureblood life for him, an ex-human, nothing special, who couldn't even give him the love he deserved. He wanted to love him, he really did. But he didn't want to tell him if he didn't mean it. He didn't want to do that to him; he deserved better than that. Hell he deserved better than _him_. But he couldn't think like that anymore. Because for whatever reason Kaname had chosen him. And Zero was determined that eventually he would love him, for Kaname's sake.

But then…Zero didn't really know _how_. He'd never had any kind of relationship with anyone, and had never even considered one with another _man_. He had never been very good at being open with his emotions and he certainly wasn't used to anything like this. Because Kaname definitely made him feel things he'd never felt before. He'd thought he loved Yuki; every time he saw her he felt a little bit happier and warmer, and his heart didn't ache so badly. But then Kaname had confessed to him and followed him, and saved his life and made him see that he truly loved Zero. And the warmth Yuki had brought him was completely eclipsed by the fierce heat that coursed through his body every time he saw Kaname, and the happiness he'd felt with her was nothing compared to the joy he felt now. And now it felt like his heart was almost healed. It felt like Kaname, just by being around him, was slowly fixing all the cracks and scars that marred his heart. But it was still a mess. And Zero wasn't ready to give it away just yet.

A soft happy sigh from behind him made him turn to glance at Kaname. Still sleeping, the pureblood smiled lightly. Zero's mouth twitched upwards in a smile of his own; Kaname looked so unbelievably peaceful and sweet like this.

"Zero…oh Zero…" murmured Kaname and Zero could feel a tiny blush creeping onto his cheeks. It wasn't unusual for Kaname to dream about him, but the thought still embarrassed him to no end. Not for the first time, he wondered what exactly Kaname was dreaming about, and his blush deepened. But so did his guilt, once again.

Not only was Zero keeping his heart from Kaname, but he was keeping himself from him. They slept in the same bed, certainly, but they'd never actually _slept together_. Zero knew Kaname wanted to; he wasn't a fool. He could see the desire in Kaname's eyes when they kissed, he could feel the heat of his deep gaze and…other things. But Zero wasn't ready. And for all Kaname would tell him not to worry, it was alright, he would wait, he wanted Zero to truly be ready…Zero still felt like he was denying Kaname everything. His heart, his body, his blood…the most Zero could do was kiss him in private. Zero ground his teeth together in annoyance at himself. He wasn't even comfortable with public displays of affection. Not that he and Kaname went out much; it was too dangerous. They'd been missing from the Academy for three weeks now and there was no doubt that the vampires were looking for them. Well, looking for their leader at any rate. And if they found him shacked up with Zero…it wouldn't be pretty. So they didn't go out often and when they did it was for essentials. Zero didn't know what they were going to do.

"Zero…" Kaname whispered again. Slowly he stretched out his arm to Zero's side of the bed. His hand brushed the empty space for a moment and a slight frown formed on his perfectly serene face. Zero chuckled softly at Kaname's confusion. It was sweet in a way. Kaname's eyelids began to flicker open and soon Zero was looking into beautiful chocolate eyes that took his breath away, no matter how tired they were. A sleepy smile crossed Kaname's lips.

"There you are. Good morning my love." And there it was again. Kaname's love, so pure and strong that it could make Zero feel like he was flying above heaven itself. Or crush him under a tonne of guilt. Zero chose to go with the former and smiled in return.

"Good morning." He whispered. Kaname slowly raised himself up and scooted over to where Zero sat. Happily he snaked his arms around Zero's waist and pressed his bare chest against Zero's back. Zero shivered a little at the contact and fought to keep a blush from his cheeks. Kaname's chin leant on his shoulder and he whispered in Zero's ear.

"I missed you while I slept. You're much more lovely in real life than in my dreams you know." He murmured huskily. Zero shuddered again.

"Cut it out Kuran." He whispered, his shaky voice betraying the coldness of his words. Kaname groaned lightly.

"Now now Zero, what have I told you about calling me that? You know I hate it. It's so cold, so formal. Please don't my darling." Zero narrowed his eyes a little. Darling? Well if that's the way Kaname was going to play it, any apology that he had thought about uttering died on his lips.

"And what have I told you about calling me that, _Kuran_?" Zero smirked as Kaname turned to look him fully in the eyes and a ridiculous pout appeared on the brunette's face. Zero had a strange and sudden childish urge to stick his tongue out at Kaname. Said pureblood stared in surprise at Zero; the simple action was so bizarrely unlike him that it might have even worried Kaname if it hadn't been so _adorable_. Kaname could feel himself melting at the sheer cuteness of it and he just wanted to cry "Awwwwwwww!" and squeeze his little hunter so tight he might burst, but he stopped himself just in time. Zero would probably kill him.

So Kaname contented himself by darting forward and sucking sharply on the base of Zero's neck and smirking at the sharp intake of breath above him. The hunter hadn't been expecting that. The fear that would have shot through him normally at the feeling of a mouth on his neck was completely blown away by the jolt of electricity that shot through him and set his nerves tingling.

"K-Kuran…" Zero stammered. Kaname frowned again as he heard that word, and at the annoyingly, stubbornly victorious tone of voice. Zero wasn't going to give in. Kaname smirked once more against the pale skin beside him. Well well, a challenge, he thought. And so early, too. Well my love, I'm not going to lose.

Kaname trailed soft little kisses from Zero's neck upwards and the silver haired boy gave a small sigh. Kaname reached his ear and nibbled lightly; just enough to make Zero blush and breathe that little bit heavier. The brunette then took Zero's piercing in his mouth and played with it a little; the strange silver things amused him greatly, but not as much as the delightful gasps that escaped the hunter when he did.

"D-dammit Kuran…" Zero started but didn't get to finish. Kaname growled and sucked hard on his neck again, hard enough to leave a mark. You will say my name Zero, and you will say it in _that way_. Kaname began to run his fingers up and down Zero's spine through his shirt lightly leaving the teen gasping and squirming. His touch left a fiery trail down Zero's back and he bit his lip to stop himself moaning. Kaname chuckled darkly; he knew _exactly _the affect he was having on Zero, and he was enjoying it immensely. Maybe too immensely, he thought grimly as he felt heat rising and pooling within him. Zero could no doubt feel it too; he was pressed right against him after all. But he wasn't objecting –yet- and Kaname was having far too much fun to stop now. He glared a little at the plain black t-shirt that was covering Zero's perfectly toned chest. It was getting in his way. Slowly he slid one hand underneath said shirt and along Zero's skin, feeling the warmth and watching Zero to make sure he hadn't crossed a line. Zero's eyes were closed, his head was tilted back and his mouth was slightly open, his breath coming short and fast. Kaname pulled Zero back quickly so he was lying in his back. His eyes flew open and he let out an, "Oof" as he landed on the mattress. He glared at Kaname who just smiled sweetly as he straddled the hunter.

"Don't look at me like that my dear." Zero opened his mouth to protest and Kaname pounced. Before Zero could even realise what was happening the brunette's lips had closed the gap between them and he was kissing him so hard he felt the heat inside him spike suddenly. He leaned instinctively into the kiss and he could feel Kaname's smirk against his lips. He knew what the pureblood was trying to do, but he wasn't going to give in, he wasn't going to let Kaname win. But damn, thought Zero as Kaname' mouth trailed down the front of his throat, it was going to be hard. Zero's eyelids fluttered in pleasure but he would not cave in. He wouldn't say his name. He wouldn't…

Kaname was pushing his shirt further up his body and placing soft heated kisses across his chest. Oh hell, Zero thought. Such a stupid little challenge…

"K-Kuran…s-stop…" he muttered shakily, but made no move to shift Kaname, who consequently ignored his protest and scraped his nails lightly down Zero's sides, making him gasp loudly and arch his back.

"Tch, Zero, I warned you about that." With that Kaname removed the hunter's shirt completely and continued covering him in kisses. God, thought Zero, if he doesn't stop that I won't be able to resist him much longer.

"Kuran…" Kaname flicked his tongue lazily across Zero's chest.

"Kuran." He dragged his hands lower and placed them on Zero's hips.

"Kuran!" Kaname's hands began slipping under the waistband of Zero's boxers.

"Kaname!" Zero groaned. Dammit, he thought, I lost. Immediately the brunette stopped, knowing he'd crossed that line now, but finding it a little hard to feel bad. They'd rarely got so close to that before –Zero had always stopped them before it got too far- and it left him feeling out of breath and intensely excited. Zero couldn't look him in the eye as his face turned bright red. Kaname had won the challenge, but he didn't feel very victorious, especially at the sight of Zero's guilt-ridden face.

"I…I'm sorry Kaname I just…I'm not…" Kaname quickly pressed his lips lightly against Zero's.

"Shh honey, it's alright…" Angrily Zero pushed Kaname away from him and jumped to his feet.

"No it's not! And don't call me that!" Kaname bit his lip at Zero's anger but pulled the silver-haired teen to him anyway, holding him tightly.

"I'm sorry Zero, it _is_ ok really, I promise…" Zero squirmed out of the brunette's grip and practically ran into the bathroom, grabbing clean clothes as he went. He turned the shower on and jumped in quickly, letting the cool water wash away his anger. Kaname stood in the middle of their room feeling dreadful. He'd pushed him too far again. Groaning he ran a hand over his eyes. He tried to resist the hunter, he really did. He knew he wasn't ready, and if he was perfectly honest with himself he wasn't sure either of them really were, but he couldn't help the way he reacted to Zero. When he saw him all he could think about was how perfect he was, and that morning he'd been having a rather enjoyable dream about his beautiful hunter; he'd woken up and seen said hunter looking at him with a small smile on his face, his heart had leapt and started smashing against his ribs at the sight and he'd given into his desire for the teen. But he'd gone too far again and now Zero was mad at him, and mad at himself too. Kaname frowned. He didn't want Zero to feel like that.

Sighing he sat on the bed and tried to think cold thoughts to cool himself down. But the sound of water running had alerted him to the fact that Zero was in the shower, and the thought of that certainly was not helping him. He moaned lightly then felt like hitting himself in the head. Stop it Kaname, calm down! Don't think about it, just don't think about him in there, naked and wet and…_stop!_ Kaname really did hit himself then.

Zero stood with his forehead leaning against the cool tiles, the drumming of his heart drowned by the sound of water. He closed his eyes tightly and ground his teeth in anger, but not entirely at Kaname. Sure, the brunette had been a little…over-enthusiastic, but Zero hadn't exactly tried to stop him. He couldn't lie; he'd enjoyed it, a lot. But he knew he couldn't take that step yet, and he knew Kaname wanted too –it had been pretty bloody obvious- but he just couldn't. And now he'd led Kaname on like that…if he'd only stopped him earlier…but it had felt so…_good_. And then he'd pushed him away and yelled at him. Kaname was probably beating himself up and Zero had just left him there thinking he was angry at the pureblood. Zero's eyes flew open as he realised what a mess he'd made of it all. He'd hurt Kaname and he needed to fix it.

Hurriedly he turned off the water and got out, drying himself quickly before yanking on his clean boxers and jeans. He pulled the door open and rushed out, just in time to see Kaname slap himself in the forehead. Cursing mentally he crossed the room in seconds and sat beside the pureblood, taking his hand away from his forehead and gripping it tightly. Kaname turned to look at him in surprise.

"Kaname, what are you playing at?" Zero said angrily and Kaname flinched slightly.

"Dammit! No wait, I'm sorry I didn't mean that!" Zero groaned in annoyance. He really wasn't very good with words.

"Look Kaname, I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry for running out like that and just leaving you here, I just…I didn't mean…I mean I wasn't…I wasn't mad at you, ok? I was mad at myself." Kaname shook his head.

"No Zero, I should be apologising. I know how you feel about that and I still pushed you. I'm so sorry Zero, I just lost it a little bit, I'm sorry."

"Yeah but I didn't stop you. And I should have."

"But I should have known better." Zero looked into Kaname's eyes and sighed. He smiled wryly.

"We're not gonna quit arguing about this are we?" He said. Kaname smiled at him in return.

"Nope. It was all my fault. Wasn't yours." Zero rolled his eyes.

"No it wasn't your fault Kaname, it was…this is ridiculous. We're not getting anywhere."

"Well if you will be too stubborn to admit that I'm a…a…I don't know, a…"

"Creep?" snickered Zero. Kaname raised an eyebrow, but chuckled too. He opened his mouth to retort but Zero put a finger on his lips and shook his head.

"Shut up. Let's just…agree to disagree, yeah?" he said quietly. Kaname sighed, but his mouth curved upwards.

"Sure. Whatever you say, _darling_."

Zero hit Kaname over the head with a pillow.

**A/N; First chapter, yay! Well I'm glad I went back to my regular style. Although I'm not too keen on the ending at all, but I didn't really know how to cut it. Anyway, whatever. **

**So feedback is always lovely :] And I hope it pleased my reviewers! I have to be honest that bit in the middle was…a little strange to write x3 But fun, it was fun. I'd very much like to know how I did! If you have any comments etc. feel free to review. They're lovely :D**

**Ciao for now!**


	2. Find Them

**A/N: Ok, chapter 2. Here goes! Nothing much to say except…enjoy! Oh, and I threw in another of my favourite pairings. Hope you don't mind :L Anyway, on with the show!**

Takuma walked slowly up the wide path at the entrance to Cross Academy. He was not looking forward to walking into the Moon Dorm, going to what was once Kaname's room that had now been commandeered by Yuki, and telling her that he still hadn't found her brother.

Yuki had them all searching. She was determined to find her fiancée no matter what, and she had forced all the aristocrats to help her. Or rather, to find him for her. She hadn't left the Academy once herself. None of them wanted to do it but Yuki was a pureblood; if she ordered them to do something they would do it, they had to. There was no other option.

Takuma sighed slightly. Yuki was the only person that could really get under his skin. He was usually so calm and kind; he always looked for good in people, or at least he didn't look for the bad. He didn't hate anyone or ever get annoyed. And yet, Yuki Kuran just _pissed him the hell off._ She would ponce about the Academy like she owned the place…Takuma supposed that in a way she did, but she had always been the stepdaughter of the Headmaster and she'd never acted that way before. She'd been _nice_ as a human. Stupid, yes, clumsy certainly, oblivious to everything and a pretty useless guardian, definitely, but she had been kind and compassionate, and loved Kaname and her best friend Zero. But now she had changed completely.

Takuma wondered if it was maybe Kaname's fault. He winced in guilt whenever he thought that about his leader and best friend, but he couldn't help thinking there was an element of truth in his theory. Her flashbacks had been traumatising her; dragging her into a bloody nightmare and making her lose her mind, as it would anyone. She was picking up shattered fragments of memories she hadn't known she had and then she'd suddenly been transformed into a pureblood vampire. The change for anyone was not a pleasant experience, but going from a human to a pureblood was –generally speaking- impossible, and Takuma couldn't imagine how painful it had been. So there was the immense agony piled on top of blood stained memories, and then she discovered the man she'd always been in love with was her brother. That would have messed with her head enough, but to then find out he was to be your husband would screw her mind even more. Yuki's whole life had been uprooted and unsettled and she was all of a sudden a pureblood vampire with a horde of aristocrats around her at her beck and call and a beautiful pureblood to wed that she'd always loved. For all it had been messed up, her life should have soon become perfect.

And yet it hadn't. Takuma had known for a while that Kaname wasn't in love with Yuki. And he didn't want her; he didn't hold her or speak to her, or cherish her in the way perhaps he should have. And she was a new vampire that needed blood, and Takuma was fairly sure he didn't give it to her, because he was too busy giving it to Zero. And then he'd gone and run off. It was little wonder she'd become so unhinged; her blood lust was probably peaking and the man she wanted was nowhere near and wouldn't give her his blood even if he was around.

Takuma closed his eyes as he reached the door to Yuki's room. He could hear her anguished screams from inside. It was a sorry situation, he thought. He did feel for her; it was a shame that this had happened to her. He couldn't really believe Kaname had done this to her; he supposed that showed how much he loved the hunter. Takuma hoped beyond hope that he'd found him and made it all alright. He'd never really interacted with the hunter, but he'd noticed the way the pureblood's eyes would light up whenever Zero was near, the way a tiny smile would grace his lips if he was mentioned and the way he would look straight to him the second they walked out the doors every night. Takuma was fairly sure no-one else had noticed; the thought of them being together was probably too absurd an idea for any of them to even contemplate, but he had seen it, and he cared very much for the pureblood, and he would be damned if he let his crazy sister ruin his happiness. He would die first.

Taking a deep breath Takuma rapped sharply on the door. Yuki's cries didn't stop but he heard a choked, "C-come in…". Takuma slowly opened the door and was met by a truly miserable sight. Yuki had practically trashed the room, throwing a fit every time someone returned and told her they hadn't found him yet. When Takuma walked in there was several blood stains up the wall, results of Yuki's furious rage and her "useless and incompetent fools" of vampire stooges –she'd attack them mercilessly. Many of them were now sporting fetching bruises, as wounds from a pureblood often took longer to heal. And of course, they were unable to fight back.

Yuki was kneeling in the ground beside the bed clinging desperately to the shredded and torn sheets, rocking backwards and forwards and sobbing loudly. She may irritate the hell out of Takuma, but he still didn't like to see people so upset. He didn't dare go any closer though; in her state she might easily kill him.

"Miss Yuki…" she slowly turned to look at him through a curtain of lank brown hair. She hadn't washed it in days; Takuma doubted she'd even moved from that spot. Her tear filled eyes met his and he saw a little spark of hope in them. She shakily got to her feet and moved towards him, grabbing his hand and squeezing tightly.

"Takuma…oh Takuma, tell me you've found him, you must have found him! Tell me Takuma where is he?" The blonde vampire flinched slightly as her grip became tighter and tighter. He could barely meet her eyes.

"I-I'm afraid I haven't found him yet, Miss Yuki." Yuki stared at him in complete silence for a few seconds, then Takuma gasped slightly as he felt a crack from his wrist. Suddenly the vice-like grip was gone and he gingerly rubbed his wrist with his other hand, thankful for his speedy vampire healing. The pain was intense but he could cope. But then her hand struck his face so hard he almost toppled sideways in surprise. The ache in his wrist forgotten momentarily he put a hand on his reddening cheek and looked at Yuki in shock. Her face was twisted with rage and he had a split second to brace himself before she slapped him again, snapping his head to the side and making him ball his fists in pain. But he couldn't fight back –not that Takuma would.

Again and again she hit him, sobbing out words in time to her slaps that got weaker every time;

"Where…is…he…Takuma? Why…can't…you…find…him? _And…why…is…Zero…gone…too?_" Takuma glanced at her sharply as she spoke. Did she know? Weeping she fell to the floor clutching her head.

"I don't understand, Takuma." She whispered. "Why are they both gone? What does it mean?" Takuma tried quickly to think of something; if she suspected them then she'd probably end up doing something rash.

"I doubt it means anything Miss Yuki…Perhaps Zero has been called away on an errand? A mission perhaps, from the Hunter's Association? And as for Kaname, it is most likely just a…a business meeting or some such thing…" he trailed off lamely. He didn't sound very convincing, even to himself. And Yuki certainly wasn't appeased. Her eyes flashed red angrily.

"For three weeks? And without telling anyone? No…no Takuma something is wrong…something is very wrong…_why have they disappeared together?_" Takuma could feel anxiety rising in him. What was she planning?

"Miss Yuki, please, that's an impossible suggestion. What could possibly go wrong? And even if they have vanished at the same time it's highly unlikely they are 'together'. After all, they hate each other. They wouldn't even stand in the same room together, they'd hardly be _sleeping _together." Yuki's eyes narrowed and she bared her fangs in fury. Suddenly she started lashing out at him again, thumping her tiny fists repeatedly against his chest.

"Shut up shut up shut up! You…stop it! I don't want to hear it, I can't bear it." She suddenly growled and threw him across the room. Takuma let out a shocked gasp as he hit the wall hard. Groaning he blinked to rid his eyes of stars and tried to stand only to have Yuki grab him by the collar and haul him upright, pinning him against the wall. He looked into her wide red eyes and suddenly knew what was coming. He wanted desperately to protest but he knew he couldn't. He flinched as her fangs roughly pierced his neck and she began to drink hungrily. He had never been bitten before and he was surprised by the pain. He supposed he should have seen it coming; she was weak and desperate for blood, he had angered her. He should feel honoured to have a pureblood drink from him, but the feeling of his neck being so viciously torn apart by this inexperienced and somewhat insane girl didn't bring him any kind of pleasure at all. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth as he felt himself becoming weaker. He wondered when she was going to stop, _if_ she was going to stop, when suddenly he was tossed across the room again, slamming into the opposite wall and sinking to the floor.

"_You will find them Takuma._" Yuki hissed, venom and fury etched into every syllable. "You will find them and you will bring them here and I will punish Kiryu myself for all he has done. You will not betray me." She snarled, in a voice that Takuma never expected could come from the once sweet and angelic girl. He raised his eyes to meet hers as he clutched the gaping wound in his neck. He nodded, fully intending to _completely _betray her. Trembling a little he stood and walked past her out of the door, feeling the hole in his neck slowly starting to heal. Quickly he ran to his dorm room that he shared with Shiki and into the bathroom, trying to get the blood off of him so the scent wouldn't reach the others. But of course it already had, and he jumped and spun quickly as the bathroom door opened and Shiki entered the room, a look of quiet concern in the teen's eyes. He'd smelt the sweet scent of blood as he lounges around the dorm and it hadn't taken him long to identify it as his friend's.

"Takuma? You're hurt…" The blonde noble mentally cursed; Shiki was the last person he wanted to see him like this. He felt a faint blush covering his cheeks as he turned away from the other vampire. He didn't want to make his friend worried and he felt…strangely guilty that it was Yuki who had been the first to take his blood. He'd always fantasised about it being Shiki who would…but that was ridiculous.

"I-I'm fine, Shiki, no need to worry." The noble said, false indifference in his voice. He forced a smile onto his lips as he looked into the mirror. Shiki took a step towards him but Takuma wished he wouldn't. It always got very hard for him to concentrate if the other noble got too close.

"You don't look fine. Was it Yuki?" he asked quietly, knowing full well that it was. He could smell her scent all over Takuma. Despite her superior status he felt anger begin to rise inside him when Takuma's sigh and slight nod confirmed his suspicions. He knew it was a pureblood's right to take the blood of whoever they wished, but he still hated her for it. He hated the fact that she had hurt Takuma; the fact that she was hurting them all, abusing them in her rage. He hated that she was forcing them into betraying Kaname. And he hated that Takuma now would always be drawn to her; that's what happened when a pureblood bit you. Even if you hated them, you would always feel a faint attraction for them, more than just obedience for a pureblood. It didn't mean Takuma would fall in love with her (well he hoped it wouldn't), but it did mean he would always feel more attached to her than any other pureblood, for a while at least. But it still angered Shiki and made him –he couldn't quite believe it- jealous. He realised he didn't want the noble to be drawn to Yuki; he wanted Takuma to be drawn to _him_.

"She wants me to find them and bring them back. She wants to punish Kiryu." Takuma said softly, breaking Shiki away from his thoughts.

"Punish him?" he murmured.

"Yes. I suppose she thinks he's stolen Kaname."

"But who's to say they're even together?"

"Well no-one I guess. But…I saw how Kaname looked at Zero. I'm convinced he went after him." Shiki stared in surprise at the blonde. He hadn't really thought about the possibility of Kaname and that hunter to be anything more than enemies. The idea was just…surreal. Takuma saw his wide eyes in the mirror and quickly turned to face him, his hand grabbing Shiki's shirt, his face nervous.

"Shiki, don't say anything! Ignore me please, oh god I shouldn't have said that, please just forget it! No-one can know he's in love with Zero, please don't say anything!" Shiki's eyes widened even more; in shock and also amusement at Takuma's brilliant ability to put his foot in it even more. The blonde suddenly gasped when he realised what he'd just said and shook the model slightly, bowing his head in despair at himself.

"Oh god oh god, what have I done? Why did I say that, I'm such an idiot! You have to promise me you won't say anything, ok?" The blonde whispered against Shiki's chest. He couldn't believe he'd just blurted all that out; but that was the affect the other vampire had on him. He couldn't hide anything from him even if he wanted to, and now he'd just gone and told him everything. If the Senate found out, it would be the end of Kaname.

Shiki looked down at the trembling noble and felt strangely happy. He was glad Takuma could open up to him and share things with him. He was shocked certainly, to hear his cousin was in love with the irritatingly rebellious hunter, but he didn't think any less of him for it. Frankly, he thought Zero was probably a better choice than Yuki any day, given her previous stupidity and present insanity. Zero may be an ex-human, but Kaname was family and if Zero made him happy, then Shiki was glad they had each other. He may not have had much of it in his life but he understood love, and he knew how it felt to want to be with someone every second of the day, to see them smile and hold them close, to want to make them laugh and cheer them when they cried. Because he felt just like that, about the shaking vampire that was clutching his shirt and silently begging him not to say anything. Shiki smiled slightly and wrapped his arms around said noble, whose eyes shot open in surprise. He straightened and looked into Shiki's eyes questioningly, who just grinned and placed a small kiss on the tip of Takuma's nose. The blonde's eyes grew even wider if that were possible, and a blush that Shiki could only describe as adorable stained his cheeks.

"Sh-Shiki?" Takuma mumbled in shock.

"Don't worry. I won't tell." Whispered the noble, pulling Takuma even closer to him.

"What…why…I don't understand…" stuttered Takuma as his friend hugged him tightly. What had gotten into him, he wondered. He could feel his face flushing and he tried to stop the butterflies from doing a crazy little dance around his stomach.

"You're so sweet Takuma." Shiki laughed at the startled expression on his friend's face. He looked like a rabbit caught in headlights. It wasn't something Shiki would normally say; but then, he wasn't normally holding a blushing vampire who happened to be his best friend but who he was also completely in love with. Emboldened by the blush and the fact he hadn't jumped a mile away, Shiki leant forward and pressed a quick kiss to Takuma's lips. The crimson on his cheeks skyrocketed and Shiki could hear his heartbeat suddenly become a lot faster.

"We'll find them Takuma. But we won't let Yuki hurt them, ok? I promise. And I promise I won't let her hurt you ever again either." He said, his anger seeping into his voice at the last sentence. Takuma couldn't quite believe what had just happened, but when his brain finally caught up and he took in all that Shiki had just said and the _kiss_, he started grinning like a child who'd just been told he owned a toy shop and everything was free. Blushing furiously he boldly leant forward and gave Shiki a small peck on the lips in return, but then his shyness got the better of him and he turned away, flushing and biting his lip. His friend grinned and rolled his eyes at the blonde's embarrassment. But now he was sure his feelings were returned, and Takuma's shy behaviour was nothing short of sweet to him. Sighing happily he pulled the teen close.

"We'll find them. And we'll find them together." Takuma smiled giddily, his eyes shining as he clutched Shiki's jacket tightly. He nodded into his shoulder.

"Together. I like the sound of that." He murmured quietly.

**A/N: Well yeah…so I think you can guess what my other favourite pairing is ^^; Hehe. I'm not too keen on the ending of this chapter either, but I never seem to be. Anyway, feedback is always delightful :D Tell me what you thought. And thank you all for reading!**


	3. Dinner's on the Floor

**A/N: Chapter 3, yay! I won't be putting too much Shiki/Takuma in from now on as it's not my main pairing but a little bit might sneak in here and there :] And I had to bump up the rating on this one ^^; I hope nobody minds too much. This is my first attempt at any kind of lemon so…be nice? But any criticism is always appreciated. **

**Actually, on a side note, has anyone else noticed that if you go by the filters on here then the least popular pairing regarding the three main characters is Kaname and Yuki? The second favourite is Zero and Yuki which is written about a heck of a lot more. But the most popular pairing by far is Kaname and Zero. That just amuses me xD**

Kaname leant on the doorway to the kitchen of his apartment, a smile on his face as he watched Zero intently. The silver-haired hunter was only preparing a simple meal but Kaname just found him absolutely fascinating. He loved the way Zero was so happy to make their food and how absorbed he got in it all. He was an excellent cook, too.

Zero contentedly chopped away at various vegetables, ignoring Kaname's tender stare. He enjoyed making a meal for Kaname, there wasn't much else he could do for him. And the pureblood always gushed his praise for even the smallest meals; Zero would always blush and mutter that it was nothing special. But it made him feel like he was giving him something. He sighed as he felt Kaname's heated gaze travel all over his body, but he smiled slightly too.

"Are you just gonna stand there and stare at me all night?"

"Mhm. That sounds like a wonderful idea." Zero shook his head and chuckled. Kaname smirked and sauntered over to where Zero stood. Slipping his arms around his waist he stood behind him and rested his chin on Zero's shoulder.

"Then again I might just have to throw myself at you, you irresistible thing you." Kaname murmured into his ear. Zero blushed brightly, still so unused to such compliments that they left him feeling a little awkward.

"Ah shut up, you crazy pureblood."

"Crazy? Me? Only about you." Zero groaned at the absurd cheesiness of the phrase and Kaname snickered.

"That was really bad Kaname. I mean couldn't you have…" Zero's train of thought was completely derailed as Kaname quickly spun him round and kissed him fiercely. Zero's eyes widened for a moment but he soon melted into the kiss. The thought of resistance briefly crossed his mind –normally he would protest, even if only a little- but he barely registered the notion. He threw the knife behind him in the vague direction of the counter and snaked his arms around Kaname's neck, twisting his hand into the vampire's dark chocolate hair. Kaname moaned softly into the kiss and Zero took the opportunity to push his tongue into his mouth; a battle for dominance quickly ensued which Zero refused to lose. Kaname naturally assumed the lead a lot of the time, being a pureblood, but Zero would make damn sure he wasn't in control in this particular area.

Kaname eventually conceded defeat and continued to moan slightly against Zero's lips. But he didn't stay submissive for long; suddenly he swept the chopping board aside and lifted Zero up onto the counter, one hand on the back of Zero's knee, his other running along his side repeatedly. Zero gripped the nape of Kaname's neck tightly as if trying to pull him even deeper into his kiss. Kaname's touch made him feel like his skin was scorching and he wanted to return that feeling, so he slowly ran a hand down the pureblood's spine. Zero so rarely instigated contact that the simple touch left Kaname reeling; he gasped allowing Zero even more access to his mouth. He could feel the hunter smile around him and that along with the inexperienced but fiery touch on his back and the sensation of Zero pressed _so wickedly _against him made him more than a little light headed. Hastily he moved his hand to lean on the counter, feeling like his legs might give way at any moment. Annoyingly he'd forgotten that Zero had tossed the knife there earlier and his bubble of delirious joy was dented slightly when a sharp twinge in his finger reminded him pointedly about the knife. Mentally tutting at himself he ignored it and instead focussed on trailing his other hand along the hunter's thigh, just lightly. But the second the scent of his blood hit the air Zero pulled back in concern. Had he hurt him in some way? Had he accidentally bitten him or something? Kaname smiled at the sweet worry in the teen's eyes.

"It's nothing, look…" he murmured huskily, holding his slightly injured finger up to Zero's eyes. The tiny cut had already healed but there were still a couple of droplets of blood on the tip of his finger. Slowly, as if transfixed by them, Zero moved towards these droplets and then deliberately flicked out his tongue to catch them. Kaname's eyes widened; he certainly had not been expecting that. Gradually Zero moved even closer until he encased the top of the pureblood's finger in his mouth and slowly, so _achingly slowly_, he lightly punctured the tip with his fangs. Kaname's breathing hitched in surprise and pleasure; he'd always been told that blood drinking was an intimate act and could make…certain experiences even more intense. And although it was just a small bite, he definitely believed it. And any doubt he had was completely erased when Zero leisurely began to draw blood and Kaname felt like he might liquefy on the spot. Zero couldn't quite believe the affect he was having on the pureblood; it was such a little cut he hadn't expected it to practically bring him to his knees. He didn't even know why he'd done it, but the sight of Kaname's blood had struck something inside him and instinct had kicked in. Usually he hated drawing blood or feeding, anything that reminded him of what he was. But right now, it felt far from wrong.

Zero licked the small cut closed and kissed Kaname's palm. But then he caught sight of the vampire's wrist, and more specifically, the throbbing vein just below the porcelain skin. And he suddenly knew exactly what he wanted, even though it was the kind of thought he would never have entertained before. Zero held Kaname's hand lightly and began to kiss the soft flesh on his wrist. Kaname, his breathing only slightly back to normal, immediately realised what Zero was thinking and he desperately wanted his fangs to pierce his skin. It was unbelievable, he thought, how much he wanted that, how much he wanted those fangs inside him right now. But Zero was just teasing him, nibbling and nipping but never breaking the skin. Kaname began to ache for the hunter to just bite him already. Groaning he muttered softly;

"Zero…Zero please you're killing me here, please…" Zero looked up at him, surprised and delighted by the pureblood's husky and trembling voice.

"Please what?" he asked, feigning ignorance. Kaname growled and looked back at him.

"I think you know Zero…" The silver-haired boy just stared quizzically at him, a fake innocence in his gaze.

"No…" he said, shaking his head. Kaname's wrist was beginning to ache from loss of contact.

"Zero _please_…" Still the hunter looked confused. Kaname couldn't take it anymore.

"Just…just bite me Zero, dammit!" The pureblood yelled. Zero grinned at Kaname's uncharacteristic outburst but instantly complied, thrusting his fangs into Kaname's wrist. The vampire above him gasped and shuddered in pleasure, practically collapsing into him. Zero realised that at that moment the pureblood was completely at his mercy and the thought scared him a little –but it exhilarated him too. Kaname was a shaking mess in front of him and Zero could tell he was enjoying it, if the prodding in his leg was any indication. Kaname wasn't the only one, Zero noted. But Kaname was the one leaning against him, barely able to support himself. Blushing fiercely Zero suddenly had an idea. In one fluid motion –though thinking back on it later he had no idea how he managed it- he withdrew his fangs from Kaname's wrist earning him a small whimper from the pureblood, jumped down from the counter, spun round and lifted Kaname onto it instead so their positions were reversed. The brown-haired boy looked at him puzzled, but then Zero's lips were on his and he didn't really give a damn why Zero had flipped them round. Eagerly he responded, one hand twisting into his silver locks, the other gripping his shirt. Zero shakily ran his hand down Kaname's sides, drawing strange little noises from the pureblood. But they were nothing compared to the indescribable sound that flew from his mouth when he suddenly slipped his hand under Kaname's waistband and gripped him tightly.

The hand holding his back clenched even tighter than before, almost punching a hole in the fabric. Kaname's mind went completely and utterly blank from shock and sheer pleasure and he almost forgot to breathe. When Zero slowly unzipped his jeans and released him from his denim prison Kaname thought he would go mad from the torturously slow pace at which the teen moved. Zero grinned as Kaname let his head fall to Zero's shoulder groaning loudly, and began to move his hand along his length. His brain had flown into a crazy whirl when he'd seen Kaname fully exposed, and he knew that this was definitely a good idea. The sight had filled him with heat and anticipation and it felt absurdly right to be touching him like this. But he made sure to keep his ministrations slow –he enjoyed teasing the brunette far too much, he noticed. Gently he kissed the side of the pureblood's neck, earning him another strangled groan. Kaname put his hand over Zero's, silently trying to force him to move faster. Zero just chuckled.

"Impatient are we?" He had tried to sound cool and collected but instead his voice came out all low and unsteady. Kaname growled deep in his throat and brought his eyes up to look into Zero's own lilac ones. It surprised–and though he was loathe to admit it, scared- the hunter a little when he saw scarlet slightly clouding the pureblood's coffee-coloured eyes. But he could see the need in them and he couldn't bear to hold back any longer himself, so he quickened his pace. The moment he did Kaname's moans started to get louder and his breathing became a pant, his back arched and his eyes squeezed shut. He gripped the nape of the silver-haired teen's neck and moved with him as best he could, hardly comprehending what was happening and caring about nothing but Zero's touch on him. His mind was whiting out and he knew he wouldn't last much longer.

Zero added another hand and worked the pureblood's whole length, which sent him tumbling over the edge. Everything was so new and strange and wonderful and he couldn't bear it. He shouted Zero's name as he came, falling against the hunter's chest and breathing hard. Zero's arms slowly encircled Kaname's waist and he stared at the opposite wall, finding it hard to believe he had just done that but feeling pretty pleased with himself; clearly, Kaname had loved every minute of it and Zero was glad it was all because of him. An embarrassed grin formed on his face when he realised what he had just done, but Kaname didn't seem to be complaining. He grimaced slightly as he glanced at the floor and saw the preparation for tonight's meal all over it. But at that moment he really couldn't give a damn. Kaname soon raised his head to look at Zero, pure love shining in his eyes. He was still glowing with pleasure and still shocked that Zero had gone this far. He kissed his hunter deeply, desperate to give him the same kind of pleasure he'd just received. He pushed away from the counter, walking Zero unsteadily backwards till they hit the opposite wall. Kaname was still breathing hard and wasn't sure if he could keep standing, which, he supposed, didn't really matter for what he was planning to do. Zero gripped his arms tightly and moaned when Kaname broke the kiss. Using vampire speed the brunette undid Zero's jeans and dropped them to the floor, and Zero's eyes flew open and his back arched, his mouth open in silent shock as something wet and warm swallowed him whole. He looked down in shock as Kaname knelt in front of him, and the pureblood chose that moment to look up. Their eyes locked and Zero could feel heat rising in him with the utter intensity in his gaze. His face flushed in slight embarrassment as Kaname winked at him before suddenly sucking, hard. The hunter gasped and arched forward, gripping Kaname's hair tightly and closing his eyes tightly. He couldn't believe how good this felt; the idea that he could ever feel like this had never crossed his mind in the past and to experience it now was beyond amazing.

Kaname considered teasing Zero as the silver-haired had him, but he decided against it, opting instead to move so rapidly with his vampiric speed that his head was practically a blur to Zero. The hunter cried out hoarsely, the fire inside him was just too much to bear. Kaname wanted to show him how much he loved him and to make him feel as weightless and delirious as he had, and he was succeeding. The hunter desperately cried his name over and over, his mind as ecstatically empty as the pureblood's had been mere moments before. He had never experienced anything like this before in his life and he was completely taken aback by the pure fire in his gut, the fire that Kaname was fuelling eagerly. If someone had told him a few months ago that he would end up roughly pinned to a kitchen wall with Kaname Kuran kneeling between his legs and him all but screaming his name as the pureblood he'd once despised swirled his tongue around him and made him lose all rational thought, he would probably have laughed in their face –or rather, laugh with his gun. But here he was, and he was enjoying it more than anything. He choked out a warning that the vampire ignored and moments later his hands curled into Kaname's hair even tighter as he released for the first time in his life. Blushing fiercely he watched as Kaname happily swallowed it all before grinning up at him. Zero turned away slightly to try and hide his brilliantly red face, but he couldn't help the nervous smile that covered his lips.

Kaname stood up and Zero gripped his neck tightly for support, still trembling from his own powerful release. He pressed his lips to Zero's lightly, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close. Zero's quivering arms soon went around his shoulders and they stood like that, entwined together, for many silent minutes, basking in the warm glow of what they had done, and each other. Their breathing slowly returned to normal and Zero sighed contentedly, his chin resting on Kaname's shoulder. He glanced at the floor and smiled ruefully.

"Kaname."

"Mm?"

"Dinner's on the floor." He said quietly, still a little unable to form entirely coherent thoughts. The pureblood chuckled before pulling back a little, kissing Zero hard.

"I don't give a damn about dinner right now. Thank you Zero." He murmured and kissed him again, lightly this time. "That was incredible." Zero blushed and looked down slightly, smiling.

"You…you weren't so bad yourself." He said, earning another laugh from Kaname. "But I think…maybe we should tidy up?" Zero squirmed out of Kaname's arms as he spoke, the loss of contact making him feel a little sad. The brunette made a noise of protest then sighed in agreement, picking up his discarded boxers and jeans and slipping back into them, watching as Zero did the same. He grinned as he did so; Zero really was gorgeous. He'd been pleasantly –_very _pleasantly- surprised when he'd seen him at first and he was not about to get all embarrassed about it now. It made him wonder what it would be like to have Zero inside him…he coughed lightly to try and rid himself of those thoughts, before he got carried away again. He grinned as the teen threw a slight glare at Kaname as he felt his hungry eyes on him.

"Hey Kaname, little help here? It wasn't just my fault you know. You threw all my hard work on the ground." He sniffed in mock grief. The pureblood rolled his eyes and started to help gather the fallen ingredients and throw them in the bin.

"True…" He snuck up behind Zero and whispered in his ear, "But it was _so_ worth it."

Zero turned a delightful shade of red as Kaname kissed him. The pureblood sauntered off in the direction of the living room.

"So I guess we're having takeaway?"

Zero smiled and chuckled, shaking his head in exasperation. Guess we are, he thought.

* * *

Takuma and Shiki booked a room in a hotel in the city, not too far from Kaname's apartment. The blonde was determined he'd heard his pureblood friend mention something about buying a place to stay in this area and had been dragging Shiki across town all night, searching everywhere; the library, a museum, coffee shops, restaurants, gay bars, straight bars, nightclubs, shops, the theatre and the cinema, then taking to going around houses asking if anyone had seen a silver-haired purple-eyed teen or a brown-haired, brown-eyed one. All of these attempts had so far proved fruitless.

Sighing slightly Takuma leant on the window sill watching the early rays of sunlight peek out over the city skyline. He stifled a yawn at the sight. He was sure he would find them soon, he knew it. It was just a pain, having to search like this.

"Hey, Takuma. We should get some sleep." Said Shiki quietly, coming to stand behind the blonde. He put his hands on the noble's shoulders and kissed his cheek lightly, causing a faint blush to appear on Takuma's face. Shiki found his incredible shyness so unbelievably cute.

"You're right." Takuma sighed and yawned again. "Tomorrow," he murmured sleepily. "We'll find them tomorrow."

**A/N; Well there we go. Ehehe I hope that was ok ^^; I've never written anything like that before so…any advice, whatever, would be great **

**Adios till next update!**

**And thanks for reading =]**


	4. A Warning

**A/N; Update, yay! Sorry this took a while I've been super-busy with schoolwork and whatnot. Plus I got a 3DS so I HAD to play that. It's so amazing :D**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter, I'm glad it wasn't too bad ^^;**

**Anyway, let's just get on with it shall we? xD**

Takuma and Shiki sat in a booth in a 24-hour coffee shop, drowning themselves in an unhealthy amount of caffeine. They'd been in the city four whole days now, and still had found no trace of either of the two vampires they were looking for. But Takuma was determined and had barely slept, opting instead to venture out and search even in daylight. Shiki always grudgingly accompanied him; he didn't like the sun –unsurprisingly- but he wanted to be with Takuma as much as possible. The blonde had smiled and blushed slightly when Shiki had given him that reason the other day, after Takuma asked why he came with him when he was obviously uncomfortable and frankly, wasn't much help. It was sweet and he just couldn't deny the other vampire, if he wanted to spend time with him. He wanted it just as much.

But their search was still proving utterly fruitless and Takuma knew that if they didn't find anything soon they'd have to leave and look elsewhere. He sighed lightly, leaning his chin in one hand. Drumming his fingers quickly on the table he glared at the street outside. Shiki watched him closely, hating the frown that creased his partner's brow. Takuma should be _smiling, _he thought. He looks better when he smiles.

"Hey," he said softly. The blonde glanced over at him. "You ok?" He received a weak smile in response then the vampire's eyes trailed back to the window.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine. I know we'll find them. Won't we?" His eyes flew back to Shiki briefly, worried, as if Takuma needed reassurance.

"Of course we will. How hard can it be?" He smiled and Takuma looked back to the window.

For a good half hour they sat there, in the same position, occasionally replenishing their stock of coffee. People came and went, not really paying much attention to the two vampires sitting in the window seat. Shiki sighed slightly, annoyed at their total inability to locate the two. It shouldn't be this difficult, he thought moodily. The two of them weren't exactly shrinking violets. Gradually he got more and more tired. The coffee wasn't helping him stay awake like it was Takuma; the blonde was practically bouncing in his seat by now. The dark-haired vampire stifled back yawn after yawn. Suddenly, as Shiki's eyelids began to get heavier to open and the length of time between blinks got shorter, the blonde across from him sprang to his feet and was out the door before Shiki could even put his cup down. If it weren't for his vampire hearing he wouldn't have heard the excited yell, "Zero! It's Zero!" Blinking a few times in surprise, he quickly realised what he had heard and darted out of the coffee shop after him. Takuma was already charging down the street towards the ex-human whose silver hair seemed to practically glow in the evening sun.

Shiki, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten, ran to try and catch up. Zero was heading straight for them but hadn't noticed them yet; his head was down, studying a piece of paper as he carried a couple of plastic bags filled with groceries. Takuma grinned happily; he'd spotted Zero walking in the direction of the coffee shop and had almost squealed with delight. About time we found them, he thought ecstatically. He shouted Zero's name again and the hunter glanced up. His face went from expressionless to confused to worried and angry in the space of about a second. Mentally he cursed his luck. That's all I need, dammit. More crazy vampires. They'll probably try and kill me if they find out I'm living with their precious Kaname. He considered turning and running, but he pushed that idea away quickly. No way was he going to run from Takuma and Senri, or any vampire for that matter. He had his gun on him, and he doubted they'd try anything; the day was ending but it was still plenty busy. So he kept walking and narrowed his eyes at the blonde coming his way. Takuma was usually a lot more relaxed than most vampires, but was he always so…hyper? Zero wondered.

"Zero! Oh thank goodness we found you see Shiki I told you we'd find them but you knew we would anyway didn't you? Zero, Zero listen! Listen we need to talk to you and Kaname we need to warn you guys don't look at me like that or try and interrupt I know he's with you. Or at least I hope he is where is he?" Takuma said in a rush. Zero and Shiki stared at him as they stood facing one another in the street. I really should have stopped him from drinking his twentieth cup of coffee, the brunette thought a little too late. Zero snorted.

"Why the hell would I know where he is? What makes you think I give a damn where that leech is?" Takuma stared intently at Zero, who didn't flinch under his gaze.

"Because. I know he came after you. And I know he doesn't want to return to Yuki and I know how he feels and I know you don't hate him because you didn't sound nearly as angry there as you did in the past; or at least you might have sounded it but you didn't mean it and you clearly didn't buy all that food for yourself and I happen to know Kaname loves that type of chocolate and I don't see you as a chocolate-y person and maybe I'm making assumptions but I think I'm right. Am I right? I'm right." Zero swore inwardly, trying desperately to think of some kind of excuse.

"I…well hell, what's it to you what groceries I buy?" he snapped, unable to come up with said excuse so settling with his normal scorn. Takuma opened his mouth but Shiki quickly placed a hand on his arm in warning. The blonde glanced at him sharply and the hunter raised an eyebrow.

"Kiryu. It is vitally important that we speak with Kaname; if you know where he is you must tell us. If you are, as Takuma believes, _together_, then we need to speak with both of you." The brunette spoke quietly, looking directly into the narrowed lilac eyes opposite him.

"Even if I do know where he is, why the hell would I just let you guys talk to us? For all I know this could just be all some plot to get rid of me and reclaim Kaname. If we were together that is…" Zero's last words were hurried, a slight blush on his cheeks, as if he was trying to hide something. Shiki sighed; he was impatient and a little annoyed, and suddenly remembering that, honestly, he didn't altogether _like _Kiryu. The boy was rude and harsh, but Shiki tried to remain calm.

"I'm his cousin, Kiryu. He is family and I would not harm him in any way."

"Yeah and he's _my _best friend ever in the whole world and I think you guys are great together." Takuma beamed and Shiki sighed, lightly hitting him over the head as Zero glared at the blonde noble.

"Wait, who the hell says we're together?"

"Look, Kiryu," said Shiki forcefully before Takuma could irritate the teen any further. "It doesn't matter whether you are or you aren't with him, not to us anyway. _But we_ _need to speak to him_. A problem has arisen that we must warn him, and you, about. But please, it would be easier to speak with you both, rather than having to hunt him down again and repeat ourselves." He said tiredly. Zero looked at him sceptically. Could he really believe the brunette? He sighed inaudibly. He didn't really have much choice. Had it been any other vampires from Kaname's posse he would have turned and walked away, possibly firing a warning shot just to be sure they didn't follow. But he knew Kaname trusted these two. They didn't speak about Cross Academy often; it hurt too much for both of them to remember what –or rather, who- they had left behind. But when they did, Kaname always smiled slightly as he spoke of Takuma and Senri. He had trusted them. So maybe, for his sake, Zero could too.

"Fine. I…I know where he is. Follow me." He muttered gruffly, and began walking quickly down the street. He frowned slightly, unsure whether this was a good idea. He'd always been told to never trust a vampire. But, he supposed grimly, I guess that stopped mattering to me when I started living with one. And, he added thoughtfully, even if they are planning on ambushing me, it's not as if I can't take them down. There's only two of them.

The three of them made their way past the hotel Takuma and Shiki were staying in, into the more modern and expensive-looking part of town. Takuma was practically bouncing as he walked; still buzzing slightly from the horrendous amount of coffee he'd drunk. I was right all along, he thought. They _are _together. And Kaname _does_ live near here, I knew it! Eventually the strange procession came to a large, swanky looking apartment block. There were large ferns in the ornately-decorated lobby, the floor was made of white marble and reflected their images back at them. Shiki and Takuma looked around approvingly; the lobby was certainly lovely and definitely fit for a pureblood vampire. Zero on the other hand, was thoroughly uncomfortable in the luxurious apartment block. He felt too out of place, too awkward. He wasn't used to glamorous five-star living, he was used to surviving. He just felt so pressured; he felt he had to act a certain way, say certain things. It drove him crazy. Not to mention the looks he got. Maybe he was paranoid, but it felt to him like everyone in the building –save Kaname of course- looked down on him. Perhaps it was due to years of being sneered at in reality that had done it. He didn't know. He did know though, that this was the life Kaname knew, and he would be damned if he dragged Kaname down to his level. The pureblood deserved to live like a king.

Shaking his head to bring himself out of his reverie, he quickly headed up the stairs, the nobles on his heels. None of them said a word as they soon arrived at the topmost floor, the penthouse. Zero silently shoved his key in the lock and opened the door, his uncertainty hitting him tenfold once more.

"Kaname? I'm back." He called, suddenly very self-conscious that the two vampires with him knew. They knew they were living together. What the hell would they think of Kaname? They said they suspected it but…were they really that ok with it all? He was a pureblood, Kiryu was an ex-human hunter. Just as Zero's thoughts began taking a turn for the depressed again, Kaname's voice floated from the kitchen.

"About time, love. I can sense we have company." Zero could have died on the spot. Kaname knew they were there but he called him love anyway! What was the idiot thinking? Zero could feel an angry flush rise to his cheeks as he noticed Takuma clasping his hands in childish delight beside him.

"See I knew it! It's so sweet!" The hunter, to his credit, stayed remarkably calm and resisted the urge to punch the blonde in the face. And then Kaname sauntered into the living room, wearing a plain black shirt and black jeans, and for some reason the sight of him calmed him even more. The heated smile Kaname flashed in his direction didn't calm him down though; quite the opposite. How the hell can a _smile _make me go weak at the knees dammit? Thought Zero, but he wasn't really angry. He found that now, he just couldn't stay angry at Kaname.

"Takuma. Senri. I must admit, I'm a little…surprised to see you both. Pleasantly surprised of course, but surprised none the less."

"It's wonderful to see you again Kaname-sama, we've all missed you very much." Said Takuma, the intense aura of his friend sobering him enough to stop him babbling. The three vampires smiled at one another, genuine smiles, and the two nobles stood closer to him than anyone else –bar Zero- dared to, proving to the hunter how close they really were. His anxiety dissipated a little; they were his friends after all. He decided to let them talk together for a while; he knew they'd all missed each other. Plus, he couldn't help but feel just a little bit uncomfortable around them. They were still vampires, he was still a hunter. He wandered into the kitchen, slowly putting away the groceries, only vaguely hearing the chat from the room next to him. It was all just gossip from the Night Class, he wasn't particularly interested. His ears perked up when he heard Kaname shout "Congratulations!" very loudly, and from what he could gather Shiki and Takuma appeared to be together as well. He didn't really know what to make of that, he didn't know either of them well enough to really form an opinion. So he mentally shrugged and ignored the three. He glanced round when he felt Kaname's eyes on him. The brunette stood anxiously in the doorway and Zero was instantly worried. Kaname always hid his emotions, even to Zero a lot of the time. In seconds he was in front of Kaname, gripping his wrist tightly and looking into those chocolate eyes that could melt him with a glance.

"What is it Kaname?" he asked quietly, trying not to panic. It was just so unusual for Kaname to appear scared or fazed that he couldn't help but think something dreadful had happened, or was happening, or was going to happen…

"They said they need to talk to us. They need to warn us about something…and it's about Yuki." Zero's forgot he was supposed to breathe. Yuki. He had barely even thought about her lately. How could he have forgotten her? She was his everything for four years, the only friend he'd had, and he hadn't even thought about how she was coping, what this was doing to her. Kaname watched the hunter go from concerned to shocked, to undeniably guilty, and he couldn't help the pangs of his own guilt. He had caused all this in the first place. He'd never told Zero how little she cared about him now, he didn't know how to tell him that. He'd loved her, he'd tried so hard to protect her and she just dismissed him in the end. I should tell him, Kaname thought. I could tell him now, I should tell him now, before everything gets out of control.

"Come on. We'd better go through." He couldn't tell him.

Zero nodded. Something about the sadness in the brunette's gaze unsettled him, but he didn't know what to do about it. So he pressed a chaste kiss to his lips and smiled slightly. Kaname's own mouth curved faintly upwards in response and they headed back to the main room. The sat on the sofa opposite the one currently occupied by Takuma, who looked miserable and fidgeted, and Shiki, who looked his normal blank self. There was silence for a few moments, not one vampire willing to break it and speak first. Eventually, Kaname sighed.

"You said you needed to warn us Takuma. Warn us of what?" The blonde looked awkward and Shiki placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"W-well…since you left, things have become rather…tense back at Cross Academy. Yuki is finding your disappearance difficult to deal with." Shiki rolled his eyes. Where was Takuma's bluntness when it was needed?

"Kaname, she's gone crazy." He said, earning a slight glare from Takuma and shocked glances from the other two.

"What do you mean?" the pureblood asked quietly.

"What I mean is she's lost all reason. She won't accept that you've gone and she's suspicious of the fact you're both missing. She keeps going on and on about marrying you and she's been sending us all out to look for you. She wants you to go back." Kaname narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth but Shiki held up a hand in protest. "We're not going to tell her where you are. She may be a pureblood and your sister…my cousin I suppose," he faltered slightly –he hadn't realised that before now- "But she's been hurting and using everyone, and frankly I can't bear to put up with her any longer." Shiki looked his cousin in the eyes as he finished speaking. Kaname had a finger to his lips in thought, his brow slightly furrowed. Zero sat rigidly, shocked by the news that his old friend had gone crazy. Certainly, she'd made it quite plain to him that she didn't feel any kind of closeness to him after she'd been changed, but that didn't mean he didn't still care about her.

"What do you mean, crazy?" He said, trying not to sound too worried. He didn't know how he should react. Kaname looked at him in concern, knowing how hard it must be for him. He placed a hand tentatively on the teen's shoulder, and surprisingly he doesn't throw it off. He offers Kaname a weak smile.

"Well, she's not the girl you knew, that's for sure. Like Takuma said, she's finding it difficult. Very difficult in fact; all she does is stay in Kaname's room, crying and screaming. She tells us to find you then attacks us if we don't." Takuma flinched a little, knowing the reason behind Senri's angry words. She had attacked Takuma, and Shiki hated her more for that than anything else. The two other vampires looked surprised.

"Attacking you? Yuki? That's ridiculous, she would never hurt anyone." Zero stated. But he had a sinking feeling that actually, yes she would. She had been different the night she came to speak with him, certainly. But different enough to physically hurt people?

"I'm afraid it's the truth. I know you were close Kiryu but…but I'm afraid she feels nothing…er, friendly towards you know." Takuma interjected, but faltered as Zero raised an eyebrow. He didn't know the teen well, but how was he supposed to tell him in a nice way that his best friend loathed him?

"Zero the truth is, she feels you have stolen her beloved from her, her fiancé, her birth right. She wants to drag you both back to the Academy and marry Kaname. She hates you." Shiki stated simply, not bothering to add the threat to Zero. He felt it was obvious enough. The other three stared at him, Takuma thinking there was probably a better way to break the news than that, Kaname desperately trying to think of something, anything he could do to ease the inevitable pain from Zero, and Zero himself staring numbly at Senri. She hated him. Well, she'd practically said as much the night she spoke to him through his door. She sneered at him or ignored him, making it clear he was worth nothing to her. But it still stung to hear it. She had been the only thing he could hold onto for so long, the only person who he'd been able to care about. Shiki hadn't said why she wanted them both back, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be for a nice chat about the old days.

"So why are you warning us? Why aren't you trying to get us to go back?" Zero asked, startling them all with his stoic voice and seemingly unaffected demeanour. But the pureblood beside him could see the steely mask on his face, feel the tension in the hunter under his hand. He wanted so badly to wrap his arms around him and hold him together, keep him from breaking apart like he suspected he would. But he knew he couldn't. Zero would only push him away. So instead he moved the hand that was on his shoulder down to grip his hand tight, and Zero's hand almost automatically curled around his.

"Because we don't agree with it at all. I knew you liked him Kaname, I could see it. And I felt that if the two of you had left and somehow gotten together then that was perfect. She's taking the whole hell-hath-no-fury thing a bit far. I wouldn't betray you Kaname, or bear it myself. We're…we're not going back." At this Kaname narrowed his eyes a little in confusion. Takuma shrugged and continued.

"It's not the same place anymore. There are barely any night class lessons anymore, because she's got all the students roaming the country looking for you so there's no-one to teach. Everyone's on edge all the time. She's practically torturing us. And like I said, we don't want to betray you. Kaname, you're my friend, and Zero, by being with Kaname you're my friend as well. I won't tell her where you are. I won't go back. I only hope she doesn't find you herself…" Takuma said, his eyes blazing with the truth of his words. Zero and Kaname were silent, unsure of how they should react to the news. After a moment, Shiki stood.

"Well we've done what we needed to do. We should go." Takuma nodded and the other three vampires got to their feet. Slowly they made their way to the door, Zero stayed by the sofa. He didn't want to impose on their goodbyes. In the hallway, Kaname spoke quietly, hoping Zero wouldn't hear.

"You said she wants us both back. Why both?" Takuma looked at him sadly.

"I think you can work that out Kaname. What else would a pureblood do with an ex-human that had angered them, but torture and kill them?" he said softly. Kaname had expected that, but he still flinched. Panic started to eat away at his rational mind; the emotion was strange to him but was becoming more and more common, and it was all that silver-haired teen's fault –not that Kaname minded, not really. The brunette tried desperately to stay composed, not even noticing the slight against his blood status.

"I see…" Takuma rested a hand on his arm comfortingly.

"But Kaname, I know you'll both be ok. You won't let him get hurt; I can see how much he means to you. And besides, do you really think she's likely to catch him? This is Zero we're talking about. An ex-human he may be, but he's probably the only person I know who isn't a pureblood, but could take one on and win. So please, don't worry. I know the two of you will be fine."

"Yes. I'm sure we will." He smiled weakly, trying to hide the desperate worry he felt clawing at his insides. His two friends smile in return, but not a single smile is genuine, and not a single one of them believe they are.

"You could always stay a while." Kaname asks, on impulse he supposes.

"Oh no, we couldn't do that. We wouldn't want to impose." Said Takuma, his eyes wide.

"It wouldn't be imposing. You don't have to, if you don't want to. But the offer's always there."

"Thank you Kaname, really. But we can't. It would be too suspicious, it might draw attention. Besides, we want to…start a life together, y'know?" At this point the blonde blushes, Shiki only grins. "And anyway, we wouldn't want to get in the way of you and Zero. I'm sure you'd both be happier alone together, eh?" He added with a wink. Kaname felt his cheeks burn and he laughed nervously. Well, he thought, I certainly would.

After they had left he walked slowly back into the living room. Zero was still by the sofa, sitting on the arm, his arms crossed, a scowl on his face. The brunette approached him and sat beside him, wrapping an arm around his waist and grabbing his hand with the other. Violet eyes suddenly turned and stared into chocolate ones, burning through any panic and anxiety he had felt. Zero's eyes were determined, the eyes of a hunter. Takuma was right. He wouldn't let himself be hurt. Kaname sighed and leant his forehead against the other boy's.

"You knew, didn't you Kaname? You knew she hated me." Kaname stared into his eyes, unsure of what the blank emotionless expression in his eyes could mean. He was worried of what the hunter would do, but he couldn't lie to him.

"Yes. I did. I…I should have told you I just…I guess I didn't want to hurt you." Zero nodded but said nothing and looked away. Panic once more threatened to engulf the pureblood. What if Zero hated him? He wasn't sure if he could handle that, not now. Not after everything they'd been through. He reached up and gripped Zero's chin, forcing the silver-haired teen to look at him. The nothingness in his eyes terrified him more than anger would have.

"Zero…Zero my love, please I…I didn't mean…I didn't know whether to tell you or not but I shouldn't have…kept it from you, I realise now. Please Zero, don't be angry, please forgive me…" Surprise flickered through the violet depths and a slight smirk crossed the hunter's face.

"Angry? I'm not angry at you Kaname, god you always think I'm gonna get angry. I just…well, you should have told me. But you didn't, and you were trying to protect me…I kind of knew anyway. It's done now. No point in getting annoyed." He glanced away again, not registering the stunned expression on Kaname's face. Zero wasn't mad at him? He was being strangely calm, and the concern that Kaname had felt didn't entirely disappear. It was an unusually mature reaction; not that Zero was childish or immature, far from it. But he had an extremely short fuse and Kaname was wary of his lack of anger. Suddenly Zero leant his head on the brunette's shoulder and gripped the front of his shirt tightly. This just confused the other even more.

"What are we going to do Kaname?" Zero whispered. Kaname pulled him away and up slightly, to look again into those beautiful eyes, and now he could see something else in them. Something which didn't belong in his strong hunter; vulnerability. Kaname stared into those eyes, hating himself for causing so much pain for the teen. He kissed him softly, before muttering against his lips;

"I don't know. I really don't know. But I know that I will not let her get you. I will not let her hurt you Zero, I swear it." He said, his fury against his sister seeping into his voice. Zero chuckled a little.

"Actually, I was more worried about you. She wants you to marry her. But _I _swear that _I_ won't let her get _you_. She'll have to go through me first." He stated angrily. He had cared for her, he had loved her, and she had dropped him and despised him. And he would not lose Kaname again; he nearly had once before because of his own stupidity and unwillingness to see the truth; he'd be damned if he let that happen again.

"That's what I'm afraid of, love." Kaname kissed him again, loving how protective Zero was, even though it should be the other way around. I'm the pureblood, he thought, I'm the strongest one, the most powerful. So why is it that I feel like…like I do need him to defend me? It felt like he needed Zero for everything, even living and breathing. Zero was his shield, the one that saved him over and over again. Every day. In little ways, and without even realising it, Zero was protecting him each and every day, from himself.

Kaname pulled Zero closer, right onto his lap. Zero looked at him in surprise, but snaked his arms around his neck anyway. Kaname stroked the other vampire's cheek gently, marvelling at how much love he could feel for him. He hadn't thought it was possible. Zero continued to look at him, bemused, and Kaname sighed.

"We'll be ok Zero. We have to be. I need you, I need this. I love you Zero, so so much. I…" The brunette stopped, convinced he saw Zero's eyes looking a little watery. Was his stony hunter about to cry? Surely not…

"I…I need you too." He whispered, pressing his lips against the pureblood's, trying to force himself into not letting those absurd tears fall. It wasn't "I love you", but Kaname still felt his heart swell with joy. He hadn't even added his normal insult at the end; usually he called him a daft git or ridiculous vampire or some such thing every time he said something affectionate. Of course, he always meant the insult affectionately too. I hope, thought Kaname, chuckling inwardly. He smiled at Zero and kissed him again, clutching the nape of his neck tightly as if to pull him deeper into the kiss. Zero suddenly, without warning, placed both hands on Kaname's chest and pushed him, making the pair of them topple onto the couch. The brunette looked up at his flushed, nervous face in surprise, but the hunter quickly kissed him again, more ferociously this time. Kaname was shocked one again at Zero initiating such a thing, but was quite happy to respond eagerly.

They stayed that way for some time, lying together on the sofa, locked in one another's embrace. They couldn't think about what the situation with Yuki meant, couldn't deal with it then. They could only be, and they could only be with each other. So they lay there, pouring out their feelings into every brush of skin or touch of the hand, every kiss and every silent look, wishing away the world, and Yuki, and the vampires and even the snobs in the lobby below them. They wished away everything but each other.

* * *

Takuma and Shiki stood together on the balcony of their room, enjoying the twilight air. They had done all they could, and now they could only hope. They kissed softly at first, as Zero and Kaname had done, but soon Shiki was pulling Takuma gently towards their bed, and they both realised that right then, right there, hope wasn't enough. They needed nothing in that moment but each other.

* * *

In a pool of vampire blood, in a room ripped to pieces, lay a broken, screaming vampire girl. Her eyes burned red and her claws tore at the air around her, as if she believed it be an enemy. Her sobs flew from her throat which begged for her brother's blood, and her limbs flailed desperately. Takuma had betrayed her. He must have. He had been gone too long. He would pay, just like Zero. Oh yes, she thought, they will both pay. She screeched and cried and laughed, knowing that she would have her pureblood husband soon enough. Soon, he would be back where he belonged, and they would be happy together, alone, with each other and no-one else, not even that loathsome little D he'd taken such a liking to.

Her manic shrieks and laughs filled the Night Dormitories. She would find them.

And she would take them both.

**A/N; Well well, another chapter down! I've realised that I can't seem to decide whether to call Shiki, Shiki or Senri. Meh. Don't suppose it really matters does it? Shiki always seems more natural to me somehow. **

**Anyway, don't have much to say about this chapter. It's not massively action-packed or anything…sorry about that ^^; But worry not, the next one definitely will be. Saying nothing though. **

**As always, feel free to review, you know I love 'em!**


	5. Ambush

**A/N; Well here goes, next chapter! It took way too long for me to update this story, I'm sos sorry. Not an awful lot to say, just, hope you enjoy!**

Zero closed his eyes and let the gentle morning breeze lift his hair and tickle his face. He stood on the balcony of the bedroom, leaning lightly on the railings and trying desperately to just not think. Kaname slept on behind him in their room, used to sleeping at this time. Zero however, was still trying to get used to the whole night-is-day thing. He sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. Back at the Academy, he'd always forced himself into sticking to a human schedule, trying to trick himself into forgetting what he was. Now he was with Kaname they were trying to find some kind of balance, but it wasn't easy. Especially given how unbelievably moody Kaname could get in the morning. Or was that the evening? Zero didn't even know.

He glanced over his shoulder at the pureblood, lying on his side with his face to Zero, his arm draping over the side of the bed and his mouth hanging open just a little. He couldn't help the soft smile that covered his lips at the sight of him, so beautiful, so peaceful. Not to mention, more than a little adorable. The ex-human grimaced slightly – adorable? You're going soft, Zero, he thought to himself. You'll be wanting to snuggle up together or go for picnics or walks on the beach soon. You'll be giving him a pet name. Zero chuckled quietly. A pet name, indeed. Actually, he'd have to make sure not to mention that in front of Kaname. The brunette would undoubtedly think up some ridiculous little title for Zero. He wasn't sure if he could handle being called something like 'My cuddly-wuddly Zero-kins'. Just the thought of it made him shudder.

He returned his tired gaze to the city below. He yawned but didn't bother going back to bed. He wouldn't be able to sleep, even if he tried. And he didn't want to disturb Kaname - he deserved to sleep. Neither of them had rested well the night before; Takuma and Senri's warning made sure of that. Zero frowned as he thought back to all that had been said the day before. People passed by in the street below, walked past the building and drove by in their cars completely oblivious of Zero and Kaname. For a split-second Zero was almost jealous of them. They didn't have to worry that a bat-shit crazy pureblood vampire was coming after them, determined to take the one and only thing that mattered to them in the world. But then again, he supposed he was lucky. Because he _had _that one and only thing, and he was lying right there, right behind him, and he was all Zero's. Zero smiled widely, still finding that hard to believe, even after all this time. But then the bat-shit crazy pureblood barged into his head again, screaming and wailing. Zero winced. Yuki.

Closing his eyes again he lowered his head. Things were definitely getting out of control, and Zero just had no idea of how they could cope. But he knew they would. They had to; he couldn't bear the thought of the alternative. He'd actually considered, as he lay in bed beside Kaname, running away again. He'd thought, for the briefest of seconds, that it would be for the best. If he left, then Kaname wouldn't have to worry, wouldn't have to suffer the way he was, separated from his world and his kind. But then Kaname had curled up closer to Zero's chest, winding his fingers into his tshirt and smiled lightly, and Zero had known in that second that he just couldn't leave him. He couldn't do that to Kaname, or himself. He realised right there that Kaname had never exaggerated; the pureblood really couldn't live without him. And he'd immediately wanted to kick himself for even _thinking_ about leaving him. Zero frowned and tried to push the thought away. He'd been trying, for Kaname's sake, to stop blaming himself for everything and getting caught up in his guilt. He knew how much the other vampire hated to see him do that to himself. But his feeling of self-worthlessness had been there for a long time, and he'd amassed a rather substantial amount of self-hatred. It was hard for him to see that anyone, never mind someone like Kaname, could think he was a genuinely good person and completely and utterly love him the way he did. But love him he did. And maybe that wouldn't make Zero leave behind his remorse at all he'd done completely, but it would help.

So no, he wouldn't leave him. Couldn't leave him, even if he wanted to. He needed Kaname, needed him as he needed air and water and food. And speaking of food…

Zero rolled his eyes as his stomach began to growl angrily. It was hungry – bloody ravenous – and he was willing to bet there was nothing decent in their kitchen. There never seemed to be, no matter how often he went out for groceries, he thought ruefully. He clicked his tongue and pushed himself away from the railing, quickly and quietly dressing trying hard not to wake Kaname. But maybe his stomach was being louder than he thought, because after a particularly irritated grumble from said organ, he heard a sleepy mumble from the bed behind him.

"Zero? Whatcha doin…?" Kaname propped himself up slightly, his half-awake gaze amusedly watching the other vampire as he turned towards him, smiling slightly and murmuring something about groceries. But Kaname wasn't really listening. He was too busy being fascinated by Zero's smile.

He was glad, so immensely glad, that Zero could smile like that; easily, happily, genuinely. He never had before and it amazed Kaname that he could now. It also amazed him that those smiles were because of him.

Zero was suddenly right in front of him, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips and laughing a little. He knew the pureblood hadn't listened to a word he'd just said.

"I'll be back soon, ok? Go back to sleep, go on." The silver-haired teen smiled again, a smile which Kaname eagerly mirrored before yawning through the grin earning another small laugh from the hunter.

"Mkay…love you…" Kaname murmured as he sank back down onto the sheets, his fingers lingering on Zero's for a moment. Zero ignored the pang of regret that hit him as those words left Kaname's lips, and instead slowly made his way out the flat, passing another resident – an extremely rich and decidedly creepy businessman – on the stairs, tempted to punch the man in the face for the obvious leer that was sent his way. But he reigned in his temper – he was getting better at doing that, he noticed. Probably that pureblood's soft influence again, he thought to himself with a smile.

The crisp morning air woke him up a little more as he began to walk quickly down the street towards the cheaper end of town. Kaname always insisted on paying for anything and everything Zero wanted despite his protests, and so he had taken to doing whatever shopping he needed on his own. He didn't need to be reminded how much better-off Kaname was and how useless being paid for made him feel, thank you very much.

Zero walked briskly, his eyes automatically scanning every face he passed. He searched for anything that seemed out of the ordinary, anything that might suggest an attack. He did it completely by instinct; he was still a hunter at heart. Old habits and all. He faltered halfway down the street when he noticed something – he didn't have his gun. Sighing and shaking his head he kept walking. He really was ridiculously paranoid. It was highly unlikely anyone was going to attack him, even if he did happen to cross the path of another vampire. He'd been shocked the first few times that had happened; he was so used to Cross Academy separating them from the humans that to find them wandering the city, working in the same shops, drinking in the same bars and living the same lives as humans had stunned – and not to mention unnerved – him at first. But he'd grown used to it now. Most vampires just passed each other without a word, as you would any stranger. Although he'd noticed he got a little more attention; he supposed it was his hunter scent. And Kaname always drew attention; they could sense his pureblood aura easily. If the two were together they got some seriously weird looks from other vampires; the thought of a Level A with a Level D was too much for their poor old-fashioned pureblood-lineage-obsessed brains to handle, Zero thought bitterly. So they ended up assuming Zero was what most ex-humans were to purebloods; a slave. And Zero hated that. He didn't belong to anyone, not now not ever. Kaname told him over and over it wasn't the case; he belonged to Zero as much as the silver-haired teen did to him. But Zero still despised the knowing glances thrown at Kaname and the disdainful looks he got, if he was acknowledged at all.

So Zero didn't acknowledge anyone else that he passed. He sometimes relished in the fact that he could get away from all that, to get away from being looked down on. Sometimes he just liked being treated like normal by everyone else. He sighed softly, passing another ex-human in the street who gave him a curt nod. Yes, he was used to other vampires now, and had gotten over wanting to shoot them all on sight. Mostly.

Which is why, when he turned into the park to take a short cut through the deserted lawns, the presence of a small group of vampires didn't bother him too much. Yes, it was odd for so many of them to all be out in the sun, but it wasn't totally unheard of. Hadn't he just walked by another in the road? So he walked on past the empty playground and vacant duck pond, content to just ignore them. Chances are they had been out all night…day, whatever, and were heading back home now. It didn't even bother him when they got closer to him; he just tuned it out and a let a small smile curve over his lips as he thought about bringing Kaname back some of his beloved chocolate. The huge grin Kaname would give him over something so simple would make him go weak at the knees, just like always.

It didn't bother him when the vampires got close enough that he could see them clearly as they walked towards him.

It did bother him though, when he recognised them.

They were Cross Academy students.

They were heading straight for him.

He didn't have his gun.

Zero swore inwardly at his stupidity. He should have just gone to get it - this is what came of being too easy-going. Wait, _wait_, he told himself. How do I know they're not just gonna walk right past me? How do I know they'll even recognise me? But he wasn't even convincing himself.

As the students – he didn't know their names, they weren't vampire of Kaname's inner circle – got steadily closer, Zero could see the cold, calculating look in their eyes. Two females, one male. He thought about turning and walking away, but that would look stupid and besides, gun or not, he was not going to back down if they wanted a fight. He could take three vampires, easily.

But then suddenly, there weren't three. Zero narrowed his eyes as he spun quickly, sending a roundhouse kick that intercepted the vampire he could sense rushing towards him from behind. The kick caught the vampire off guard and he went sprawling backwards with a yell of surprise, several feet from Zero who turned to face the other three once again.

Any doubt that they were going to attack him was completely erased from his mind as he took in their bared fangs, red eyes and extended claws. They growled at him, angry at the ease he took on their comrade. They flew at him, but he was ready.

He frowned in reawakened hate for the creatures as he dropped them all one by one. They were weaker in the day time; he was used to operating in it. They didn't stand a chance, gun or not.

But no matter how many times he knocked them down with his kicks and fists, they kept getting back up. And then, without warning, there were even more of them. They just appeared out of nowhere, bloodthirsty and violent. Zero began to realise that the fight had suddenly become very much unwinnable; there were vampires all around him, shrieking and snarling as they attacked him over and over.

He was fast but they were faster.

He was strong but they were stronger.

He was one; they were now a dozen at least.

An unusual feeling started to rise in Zero, something he'd never really experienced before.

Panic.

He got angry at himself for that and redoubled his efforts, growling threateningly. He couldn't fight them all off; he'd throw one away from him only for another three to latch onto him, clawing at him, tearing at his clothes and his skin. The coppery smell of his own blood tangled in the air as they closed in around him, laughing evilly as they saw he had no way to escape.

He kept fighting, kept lashing out, punching and kicking wildly and hoping to just hit anyone. But he was growing weak; their claws had slashed his chest, back and arms and he was quickly losing blood. What disgusted and freaked him out the most was the fact that some of the vampires had given up on ripping him apart and were simply lapping up the scarlet liquid that flowed from the gashes the others had torn in him. This enraged him but he just couldn't push them off, they were all over him, they were too strong. They were everywhere; their crimson eyes filled his sight, their screeches and laughter burst into his ears, their vampire presence invaded his every sense. His attacks grew weaker, his eyelids began to flutter, his breathing became ragged and he could feel his knees beginning to give way. He kept trying to fight back, stubbornly refusing to give up.

But he was fighting a losing battle.

And when he felt strong hands suddenly grabbing his arms and yanking them to his sides, and thick rope being wound round him and tied in a ridiculously complicated knot behind him, he struggled, but couldn't oppose it. And when they kicked him in the legs over and over and _over again_, he didn't have the strength nor the balance to keep himself standing. And as he lay on the ground, his harsh breaths sounding far too loud in his ears and his heart thumping painfully against his chest, he glared venomously at the vampires that surrounded him. They grinned down at him, their sharp fangs sparkling in the sunlight, some of them licking Zero's blood, _his_ blood, off their lips and claws. One of the females stood forward. She had a large gash on her cheek courtesy of Zero. He had enough strength left to smirk at that.

"Well well, Zero Kiryu. Who'd have thought you'd be wandering around on your own? It's dangerous you know." The others all laughed at that. Zero only smirked again.

"Looks like it wasn't just dangerous for me though eh? Nasty cut you've got there, _vampire_." Zero spat. The girl's eyes flashed crimson again, a furious scowl crossing her features as she quickly leant down and grabbed the rope, hauling Zero upright.

"How dare you speak to me so? _How dare you speak to me, you pathetic little D?" _The girl hissed. Zero only narrowed his eyes in response.

"Now now, we need him in one piece remember. Or, at least alive. Yuki-sama was most insistent on that." Zero's head snapped up. _Yuki..._ The female grinned maliciously.

"That's true. She wants to finish him off herself. Won't that be an honour for you, D? Or perhaps she'll keep you alive, keep you as a little pet. You're certainly handsome enough…"

"I am no-one's pet, vampire, not even Yuki's." Zero interjected. He was trying desperately to keep the wave of sadness at the mention of his old friend's name locked away, but it was so hard. The girl's shriek of rage distracted him momentarily.

"You dare speak her name? You are not worthy to speak so of purebloods you insolent brat!" Livid, she struck him down, an angry red mark forming on his cheek. He coughed lightly at the stinging pain. The girl dragged him to his knees only to strike him down again with a fierce punch to the side of his head. His vision blurred as his head slammed into the ground once more. Gritting his teeth he fought to stay conscious but as she hit him repeatedly he knew he couldn't hang on. There was no way out, not this time. The world became tinted black, and the last thing he saw before he lost awareness was a crowd of a dozen grinning vampires, their red eyes burning him.

Kaname…

**A/N; Omg tis done. And once again I can only apologise for the god awful length of time it took to upload this! I hate myself, I really do. Still, I'm about to go on study leave so don't worry, I should be updating more regularly!**

**This chapter was going to be longer but I figured I shouldn't make you wait much longer. So hopefully you enjoyed it and review if you like!**


	6. Old Friends

**A/N; So, Zero's been kidnapped. Will Kaname be able to save him in time? I sure hope so O.o But even I don't know where this story's going so…yeah, we'll find out. **

**Once again, my sincere apologies for the beastly long time you had to wait for this, but I genuinely had no idea where this was going ^^;**

**One thing, I know that some of you want a lemon but eh, well, if I do write one, it's not going to be for a couple more chapters I think, what with the way things are working out here. Just so you know Oh, and Aido fans beware; he's not shown in a very good light here. **

Aido stared in complete shock at the scene in front of him. He couldn't lie; it was a scene he'd often seen in his dreams. Happy dreams, those ones. Still, that didn't make the reality any less surprising.

What he was seeing was the struggling, bloodied form of Zero Kiryu, part-time vampire hunter and full-time pain in the neck, being forcibly dragged towards the (somewhat unnecessary and a little _too _convenient) Cross Academy dungeons.

Aido couldn't quite believe he was seeing things properly. He'd always disliked Kiryu…well, detested him was probably a more accurate description if he were honest. Kiryu had always been the only one to ever stand up to Kaname, to treat him as if _Kaname _were the inferior one. The nerve. Just the thought of Kiryu's impudence was enough to make Aido tremble with barely concealed rage. So to see said hunter being yanked about like that, with deep wounds and blood staining his clothes (distractingly delicious-smelling blood…), was a highlight in Aido's week; in fact, he'd go so far as to say month, if not _year_. Life at the Academy could get dull sometimes.

Or rather, it would have been had the event occurred a few weeks ago. But then, Kaname and Zero had disappeared at the same time. Nobody knew where they'd gone, and Yuki had started screaming crazed suggestions that sickened a lot of the vampires, Aido included. Kaname, running away with Kiryu? Ridiculous.

But then, was it? Really? If you laid aside their blood statuses for just a moment, Aido thought one day –much to his vampiric mind's chagrin- then was it really such an absurd idea? Aido wasn't sure. Yet if the rumours were true, then that meant that Kiryu was something special. Because if the rumours were true, then this prickly, rude and quick-tempered ex-human had captured the attention of a handsome, considerate and calm pureblood, something that neither Aido nor Yuki nor any other vampire, pureblood or not, had managed to achieve. And that, while it angered Aido, was something he could respect.

Even so though, the sight of Kiryu in pain appealed to Aido's vicious streak, a streak that seemed to only be visible in the presence of the hunter. And so, Aido followed the small group of vampires into the dungeons, listening to their insults, their jibes at Kiryu's status, his foolish belief that a Kuran would care for him, listening to the steady but knowing silence that answered them. That surprised him. It was unusual for Kiryu to keep quiet and not insult the vampires right back.

As the vampires threw him unceremoniously into a cell and he landed roughly on the hard floor, Aido could see something strange in the young man's eyes. He was listening to all their mocking statements about how little he really meant to Kaname, but he was actually smiling as they did. Not grinning, and not enough that the adrenalin-filled, happy-to-have-got-the-snarky-bastard vampires would notice, but smiling ever so slightly, a tiny tug at the corner of his lips. A small smirk that seemed to Aido, to be saying, 'Oh if only you knew…' And that was what made Aido linger at the door as the others passed him, finally bored of poking fun at their unresponsive prisoner.

As they left the cell, they muttered to Aido, telling him not to break him before Yuki-sama could do, make sure he didn't try anything, oh and by the way, his blood is god damn delicious. Aido grimaced slightly. After they left, he simply stared at Kiryu for several silent minutes. The hunter sat upright against the wall, regarding Aido with an intense level of dislike, matched just as fiercely by the blonde.

"Kiryu," He had to break the dreadful, tense quiet that filled the air.

"Aido." He ground his teeth together at the hunter's blatant disregard for propriety and his rightful place. He watched the teen carefully, now completely unsure as to what to actually say to the young man in front of him. After another few moments of painful silence, Zero sighed slightly and quirked an eyebrow.

"Do you want something vampire? If not then go the hell away." Aha, thought Aido, the old Kiryu returns. The thought seemed to shake him out of his trance, and he opened his mouth to retort angrily, when the scent of a pureblood assaulted his nostrils, and judging by the sudden apprehension (not fear, never fear) in Kiryu's, his as well.

Yuki.

The petite brunette was suddenly flying along the corridor to Kiryu's cell, insane delight and cruelty in her wide, crimson eyes, her lips pulled into a snarl over her pointed teeth. Aido was pushed roughly aside as she barged past him, some of the vampires who'd brought Zero in trailing behind her smirking. She stopped in the door and stared at the hunter, who stared back just as coldly. Aido felt highly uncomfortable, watching the two former best friends and fellow guardians glare at each other with such venom. And then Yuki broke into a huge, malicious grin and she began to laugh a hollow, vicious laugh that made the hairs on the back of Aido's neck stand up. Zero didn't even flinch.

"Well well, look who it is! If it isn't the little ex-human brat, down in the dungeons where he belongs," Yuki sneered. Her words seemed to have little effect on Zero, and she growled lightly in surprise and anger.

"I can see now why everyone else looks down on you, you pathetic little D. You're nothing; you're not a vampire, not a human, just a lump of flesh and bones and bloodlust. How many people have you had to feed from to stay sane, hm Zero? It must be many. How much do you despise yourself? You're a disgrace. An incompetent hunter, a worthless vampire and no longer a human. You're nothing." Aido could hardly believe how cruel Yuki was being. He didn't like the hunter –in fact, he more or less agreed with everything Yuki was saying. But they'd been friends, once. It must be hurting the hunter, to hear such things from her.

Yet when Aido looked at Zero, he saw no pain. No anguish, no betrayal, no emotion at all. He stared in silent shock at the teen's nonchalance. Yuki stared too. She of all people knew how sensitive Zero was to his blood status, to what he was. Her words should be cutting him to the bone, yet they didn't seem to make so much as a scratch in his stony, stoic mask. How could he stay so calm?

And Zero listened to her insults and he did stay calm. He kept up the unaffected façade, to irritate Yuki, to spite her for all she'd done to him. But inside, it was a different story. Because god did her words hurt. The fact that Yuki, the person he'd trusted above all others, the person who'd always told him to just be himself no matter whether he was human or vampire, was now turning that trust around and slashing it to bits, using the tattered fragments to slice him to his soul, hurt. Of course it did. How could it not? And a little while ago, it would have left him reeling, numb, lying on the floor with nothing to live for and no fight left. But that was before Kaname.

And while Yuki shrieked in rage at his calmness and raked his body with her sharpened claws, he could hear Kaname's voice in his mind, as clear as if the man were standing beside him.

_Don't give up._

_Never doubt yourself, Zero._

_You are ten times the man any of those vampires are._

_I love you Zero, my precious hunter._

_I love you._

A coppery tang hit the air, a scent he realised was his own blood. Yuki had wounded him deeply, but not fatally. As he slumped against the wall, he wanted nothing more than to show her, prove to her she was wrong. He wasn't nothing; not to Kaname. He knew that now. And he wanted to tell her how he hadn't needed anyone to feed from, because he got all the blood he needed and more from her very own brother. He wanted to yell at her, shout at her, laugh and tell her how much Kaname loved him, not her. But he didn't. He couldn't do that to Kaname. For if these vampires knew the truth, Kaname was in danger. And Zero would never allow that.

"I'm going to kill you Zero. Not right now. I have plans for you, you see. But mark my words; one day, soon, I'm going to kill you. I'm going to drain every last drop of that tainted blood from your filthy body, and I'm going to laugh." Yuki grinned, an evil glint in her eyes as Zero ignored her words. He wasn't scared of her. She leaned close to him and whispered in his ear. "And if you think that Kaname's going to save you, think again. He loves me Zero, you know that. Why, I remember how the two of you fought over my affections not so long ago. I wonder…do you still love me Zero? Am I still the one in your dreams?" Yuki murmured darkly, trailing her claws lightly along Zero cheek in a malicious mockery of a caress. Zero couldn't help but flinch then, which caused Yuki to cackle madly. She stood up sharply, Zero's blood staining her white dress and the insane grin still on her face.

"You three," she said sharply to the girl who'd first attacked Zero back in the park and her two companions. They stood straighter, as if to attention. "Take Aido to where you found this insolent piece of trash then return to the Academy. Wait for Aido outside for now," Yuki ordered them. They nodded and bowed, murmuring their obedience and leaving the cell. Aido waited in uncomfortable silence for his own task.

"Aido. You have the most important job of all. When you get to wherever it was they dragged this creature from, I want you to look around and find Kaname." Zero's head snapped up suddenly, his eyes narrowed in anger. "Find him and bring him back." Yuki smirked as Zero opened his mouth to speak, but Aido beat him to it, worried about the consequences of what Zero might be about to say.

"Ah, Miss Yuki-sama, how should I do this? I am only a noble after all; I cannot force him to return if he does not wish to…" Suddenly, Aido felt a throbbing pain on his cheek and he tumbled against the wall, staring up in fear at Yuki whose fist was still raised. Her eyes flashed with deep, blazing fury and her teeth ground together.

"Not wish to? Why would he not wish to? Of course he will return! He must, for he loves me! Whatever passing interest he has in this hunter is only that; passing interest! But he loves me, and once he returns he shall see that and we shall be married. Now go!" Yuki screeched, swiping at the air in front of Aido. The blonde noble quickly got to his feet and ran from the cell, not even glancing at either vampire. As he sprinted towards the stairs out of the dungeons, he thought about how much he really didn't want to do this. He didn't very much like Yuki's new pureblood state; she'd been sweet and ditsy and endearing before and had Kaname not been around Aido may have made a move. But she had changed so entirely that Aido was frankly terrified of her now; she was crazy and a new vampire, and would have no qualms about killing him if he got too annoying. But then, he'd never liked Zero, so he wasn't hugely miserable about maybe wrecking his happiness.

It was what it would do to Kaname that upset him so much.

For as long as he'd known him, Aido had always loved Kaname. Knowing that nothing could ever come between a male pureblood and a male noble he'd ignored it and looked to others; Yuki, some other vampires, hell, even Kain. But now, Kaname had just up and left, with _Zero-fucking-Kiryu. _Why? Aido just couldn't understand it. And the fact that he'd tried so hard to repress his own feelings because of who Kaname was and what he was expected to do, and then Zero had come along with his gun and disrespect and Kaname had dropped it all and gone running, that just made him even angrier. Any respect he had for Kiryu was slowly dissolving into rage. That anger was what made him finally catch up to the three vampires and leave the Academy, on the hunt for the pureblood he'd loved, served and who had, in his mind, betrayed him.

Back in the cell Yuki laughed as she threw Zero against the wall. He'd tried to rush her and stop Aido, but she'd been expecting it.

"Oh no, we can't have you fighting against me! No, no, this just won't do at all. You should learn your place, Kiryu."

"Leave Kaname alone, you spiteful bitch!" Zero yelled. His eyes widened in shock as he heard his own words, which hung in the air between the two old friends like a confession and an accusation, and surprised them both.

"How dare you speak to me that way? How dare you speak as though you know him? He is not yours, he never will be! Do you hear me Kiryu? He is mine!" Zero glared at Yuki, a fiery hatred beginning to burn in his heart where love and affection had once been hers. He didn't dare open his mouth in case he made things even worse. He didn't protest as she beat him again, the physical pain nothing to the pain inside when it suddenly hit him; it was over.

As Yuki had him held to the walls with strong chains reinforced with anti-vampire magic, the same kind in the bullets of his gun, he sagged and stared weakly at the ground. Yuki soon left him alone, shackled, bleeding, cold and empty on the hard ground. The hard, painful lump that seemed to have replaced his heart in his chest refused to go away as he realised the true gravity of the situation. If Kaname returned to save Zero then Yuki would wed him. But if he didn't, Zero would die in this cell and Kaname would never know what happened to his hunter, never know that his last thoughts would be of the pureblood. He would be alone in the world, lost without Zero. If Zero had been a weaker man he might have sobbed with the weight of how futile it all seemed, how bleak it looked. But Zero was strong, and so he would hope. He would not cry; he would stay unmovable, unbreakable, and pray that Kaname would be alright. He would hope and wish that Kaname stayed safe, and he would not beg for mercy or death, or struggle pointlessly or give up.

Zero raised his eyes to look out through the tiny barred window at the darkening sky. It was nearly night now. Kaname would have noticed his absence. Zero felt a pang of hurt stab the knot in his chest. He missed Kaname. He wanted nothing more than to be sat at home with the pureblood, arguing lightly over the nutritional value of Kaname's desired meal –chocolate on a pizza was the latest suggestion- or just leaning on one another on the sofa, watching some meaningless television programme, the sunset (or rise) or the people outside. A choked cry escaped his lips as he thought about it all. He wanted to be back with Kaname.

His Kaname.

His…love.

One solitary tear defiantly slipped through his iron defence. What the hell were they going to do?

**Ohohoho, cliffie again. Is this…a confession from our dear Zero? My goodness.**

**This would have been longer but as it's been a whole goddamn MONTH since last update I thought I'd give you guys something to tide you over, hence why it's such a titchy little chapter. But I have started the next one and I know exactly where it's going, so never fear! It won't be a month this time, I promise. **

**I'm sorry guys ^^;**


	7. Important Announcement

Important announcement! And a sad one too :(

Ok people, it's been a very long time since I updated this fic, and for that I'm truly sorry. And, though I hoped it would never come to this, I'm afraid I just can't see me updating it ever again. It's just... My writing style has improved and changed greatly, and to be honest I'm just not a fan of VK anymore :/

I don't like the way I wrote it and if I were to continue I'd be rewriting the whole thing, which does not appeal to me at all.

So. This fic is discontinued; however it's also up for adoption! If any of you wonderful people out there want to write, change, redo or finish this story, please feel free :) I'll probably take it off my page in a while, so go ahead and steal it!

I'm only sorry I couldn't finish it myself, but I want every single one of you to know that I will always hold this story, the previous one and all of you wonderful reviewers in my heart. Your kind and lovely comments gave me the confidence and strength to keep writing, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

And while all of you were an amazing support, I have to give special thanks to a few reviewers; LuanRina for being so kind and funny and leaving me enormous reviews, irmina, mpiedz, Love332 and Ben4Kevin for being there from the very very beginning of I Shouldn't, and for so many of you who left me amusing, emotional and heart-warming reviews. There really are too many of you to thank :')

I feel quite sad about leaving this fic behind, and the thought that someone else may write it perhaps better than I could, but it will be carrying on without me… I really do feel sad now :/ But it's for the best. And if anyone who does want to write it themselves sends me a message to let me know, I'll publish a new chapter with their name and a link so you can all see it end. And who knows, I may even continue it myself a few years down the line.

But for now, it's over.

Love, for the last time,

Morven

xx


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